Recycling during lockdown – Polyco

With so many more people staying at home during lockdown, household waste generation increased, but recyclers and collection companies were not able to operate until restrictions were recently eased. Both the recycling sector and the environment needs your support now, more than ever before.

You can pledge your commitment to better recycling habits by joining the Million Plus Plastic Recycling Revolution, a movement aimed at mobilising more than one million South Africans to recycle their plastic packaging. Make recycling your next lockdown challenge; how much of your waste are you recycling and how many of your friends and family can you get to join?

To keep recycling during the lockdown, wash and put out your recyclables for collection, or store them at home until you can take them to a recycling drop-off location. By doing this, you are helping to prevent this valuable stream from going to landfill and helping to stimulate our recycling economy.

Key steps that you can take to keep, or start, recycling during lockdown:

• Look out for recycling symbols on the packaging that you buy to ensure that you can recycle the packaging after use.
• Empty, wash, and drip-dry all your used recyclable packaging before you store it to make the process hygienic. You can save water too by using the soapy water from washing dishes.
• Squash your recyclables and then put them in a clear bag so that they are easily identifiable and do not get mistaken for general household waste. Store your recycling at home until you are able to take it to your closest recycling depot or have it collected.
• Post on the Million+ social media pages where you usually drop off your recycling or which company usually collects your recycling, By sharing this information, you can encourage other people in your area to support these businesses and to start recycling.
• Bonus Tip: Reuse yogurt tubs and start a veggie garden during lockdown!

To find more information and tips for recycling, visit the Million+ Facebook and Instagram pages
@millionplusrecyclers or visit www.millionplusrecyclers.co.za